HOLY SMOKES!!!!

So I am sitting down to write this blog FULL of excitement.  For all of you who message me after my blogs about how you just cried and cried...this will NOT be one of those!!!!  I just got off the phone with the adoption agency and confirmed that the things that I will be sending at the end of the week will complete our paperwork.  Since this blog is intended to chronicle adoption among other things let me give you a list of what the first set of paperwork included:

1. Financial statement - individual (one for each of us to show what we are each worth)
2. financial statement - monthly (showing where every penny we make is spent
3. verification of financials - bank statements
4. special placement needs questionnaire (detailed form showing different needs)
5. adoptive family information sheet
6. family history (one for each - asks about our childhood and parents)
7. SAFE questionnaire (one for each - again about how our childhood was)
8. Employer reference (ours was from our accountant...that's fun this time of year)
9. family member reference
10. 5 personal references (each have to fill out a form and send back)
11. Letter for Grady from babysitter
12. Letter for Connor from sunday school teacher
13. Jason's fingerprints for FBI, STATE, and CANTS
14. Courtneys fingerprints for FBI, STATE, and CANTS
15. fingerprint receipts
16. ORI form
17. Medical Exam (one for all 4 of us)
18. Adoption release and consent
19. TB test for Jason
20. TB test for Courtney
21. Drug test for Jason
22. Drug test for Courtney
23. Authorization of release of information
24. Guardianship statement (what happens if Jason and I die on flight...had to have someone for our boys lined up)
25. affidavit of health insurance coverage
26. Permission/consent form
27. unforeseen additional fees form
28. change in family status form
29. parental discipline policy
30. notice of privacy practices
31. recipient rights procedure
32. full day of training sheet
33. consumer grievance procedure
34. prospective adoptive parent training requirement
35. CPR card for Jason
36. CPR card for Courtney
37. 2 years previous tax returns
38. copy of marriage license
39. Copy of birth certificates ( one for all 4 of us)
40. copy of pet vaccination records
41. picture of family
42. duty of disclosure I-800
43. Also had to do 10+ hours of online hague training for each of us
44. also had to read 5 books and each of us had to do a book report on it

Now please don't mistake this for complaining...this is just why I feel such accomplishment that I will be finished after this week!!!!  We will then get to move on to home visits this summer and then get to finally put together our dossier (packet of paperwork that is sent to China) after the homestudy is complete.  I feel so accomplished that I will be finished....I am super excited to get this BIG checklist complete!!!! 

Also today was the day we picked up Connor's report card...all As and he is finished for the summer.  I am excited to have both boys home and get to slow down our pace a bit this summer!!!  Glad to have all the paperwork done so that I can enjoy them and just want for the 3 home visits.  The dossier probably won't be starting until school resumes....so that gives us this summer to chill a bit!!! 

I want to end by saying that I really appreciate EVERYONE that had to help with this process....everyone that wrote a letter for my kids, or filled out the personal reference form and sent it back...I know that no one even complained but I am thrilled to call you all friends and am so thankful that you were so willing to step up and help us thru this process!!  I cannot wait to get MeiMei home and get to share her with all of you!!!!  Ending this paperwork just makes me feel like we have taken a HUGE step to getting her finally!!!!  I will blog again at the end of the week when the packet is in the mail!!!!  Have a great and blessed day!!!  Enjoy those kiddos!!!!